THE consecration of the Priesthood was typical of the
consecration of the human nature of the Lord Jesus and his Body,
the Church, to the will of Jehovah--the obedience of Jesus even
unto death, and the obedience of the members of his Body
suffering for righteousness' sake "even unto death"
with him. The whole Body, represented by Aaron's sons (as well as
the Head, represented personally by Aaron himself), is, by the
antitypical sacrifices, being made during the Gospel age, consecrated
for their future work as kings and priests, to restore and rule
and bless mankind. This consecration signifies the giving up of
their ALL to the will of God in his service. But the extremity of
the sacrificers becomes Jehovah's opportunity; when these priests
have consecrated all they have, all they are, and all they hope
for, as human beings, devoting or sacrificing these to
destruction,

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thus becoming joint-sacrificers with Jesus their
Redeemer, then, in accepting their sacrifices, Jehovah begets
these to a new nature--the spiritual nature. And not only so, but
as a reward for faithfulness he promises to bestow the highest
order of spiritual existence--the divine nature: and at once they
are reckonedly owned as spiritual sons of God. `Gal. 4:4-7`; `2
Pet. 1:4`

"Be Thou Faithful Unto
Death"

That some who consecrate to sacrifice, and thus
join the "royal priesthood," will not reach the future
royal service is also shown in these types, as well as expressly
declared in the New Testament. One class will be "saved so
as by fire," "coming up through great
tribulation," but missing the prize for which they started
out in consecration, because not sufficiently appreciative of
their privilege of sacrificing as priests--not sufficiently
zealous to "suffer with him," the High Priest. These we
will consider particularly later on, when examining the
sacrifices of the Atonement Day.
Another class of those who consecrate as priests,
which will not gain the royal blessings promised to
these priests, will be destroyed in the Second Death. These,
clearly brought to our notice by the New Testament (`Heb. 6:4-6`;
`10:28-31`; `1 John 5:16`), are pictured also in these types or
shadows of the Tabernacle service.
Aaron's four sons at first represented the
under-priesthood, but two of these were destroyed--corresponding
to the two classes above described, both of which fail, as
respects the royal priesthood; one of them suffering the Second
Death, the other saved from it only "so as by fire"--
tribulation, purgation. And as Aaron and the two remaining sons
were forbidden to make lamentation for their brethren who were
thus cut off, this signifies that all the

::page 41::faithful of the priests will recognize the
justice of the Divine decisions, and will bow to them in humble
submission, saying, "Just and true are thy ways, thou King
of saints." Indeed, it brings a blessing to the faithful,
leading them to greater zeal, saying, "Let us fear lest a
promise being left us of entering into his rest any of us should
seem to come short of it." `Lev. 10:1-7`; `Rev. 15:3`; `Heb.
4:1`

"Sanctify
Yourselves"--and--"I Will Sanctify You"

The invitation to the justified believer to
consecrate, sanctify, or set apart himself to the divine service,
is an invitation to sacrifice earthly interests and
rights: and the promise on God's part is that such sacrifices
will be holy and acceptable through the merit of our Redeemer,
and that in return he will accept us as new creatures, begetting
us to the new nature by the holy Spirit of the truth. Thus God sanctifies
or sets apart such as are reckoned holy new creatures.
The typical consecration service performed upon the
typical priests shows the two parts of the consecration--our part
in surrendering the human nature and its rights, and God's part
in accepting our sacrifice, and setting us apart and recognizing
us as new creatures. The new spiritual nature was
represented in Aaron and his sons; the earthly nature sacrificed
was represented in the bullock and rams offered on the altar.
`Lev. 8:14-33`
The bullock for the sin-offering was
brought, "and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the
head" of it, thus saying, This sacrifice represents us. From
that moment, all that happened to the bullock, represented what
was to be done to Jesus and to his Body, the Church, as human
beings. The bullock was delivered up to the "Law"
(represented by Moses), to meet its demands against Israel,
typical of mankind in general. To meet the demands of the Law

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it had to be slain--"And Moses slew it." He then
applied the blood to the horns of the altar. The
"finger" of the "Law" thus pointed
out that the altar of earthly sacrifices was acceptable to God by
reason of the shed blood, (the life given), and that all who
realize the power of the altar (horns are symbols of power) must first
recognize the blood which sanctifies it. The blood poured at the
base of the altar showed that through the blood of the sacrifice
(life given) even the earth was purchased back from the
curse. "Unto the redemption of the purchased
possession." See `Eph. 1:14`.
And Moses took the bullock, his hide, flesh, etc.,
and burnt them with fire without the "Camp." (`Verse
17`) Thus the humanity of the Christ complete--Head and Body--is
made "a sin-offering," suffering the destruction to
which the world was doomed, and from which, by this sacrifice, it
will ultimately be delivered--the merit being in the
sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, we, his "brethren," being privileged
to fill up a measure of HIS sufferings, as "members of his
Body." (`Col. 1:24`) But while the humanity of the royal
priesthood is destroyed, as a vile thing in the eyes of the
world, as represented by the burning of the bullock without the
"Camp," God accepts the heart devotion which prompts
the sacrifice, which says, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O
God." "I delight to do thy will, O my God." This
was represented by the offering on the altar of the fat and parts
of the inward life-producing organism, as a "sweet
savor" unto the Lord.
Other features of the same consecration were shown
by the two rams mentioned in `verses 18 and 22`. The first
mentioned was the ram for the burnt-offering. Aaron and his sons
laid their hands upon its head, thus indicating that it
represented them. It was killed; its blood was sprinkled upon the
altar; and Moses "cut the ram into pieces, and washed the
inwards and legs in water," and "burnt the head and the
pieces and the fat." Thus during the entire

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A PRIEST - IN LINEN GARMENTS

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Gospel age Jesus and his Body, the Church, are being presented,
member by member, before God on the altar, yet all are counted together
as one sacrifice. The Head was laid on the altar first, and since
then all who are "dead with him," and cleansed, as in
the type, by the washing of water --through the Word--are
reckoned as laid with the Head upon the same altar. The burning
of the offering on the altar shows how God accepts the sacrifice,
as "a sweet smelling savor."
The second ram, "the ram of consecration,"
showed what effect the sacrifice will have upon us, as the first
showed how God receives our sacrifice. Aaron and his sons laid
their hands upon the head of the ram of consecration, showing
thus that it represented them. And Moses slew it and took its
blood (consecrated life) and put it upon each
separately, thus showing that our consecration is an individual
work. And he put it upon the tip of the right ear, and upon the
thumb of the right hand, and upon the great toe of the right
foot. Thus by our consecration we are enabled to have the "hearing
of faith," and to appreciate God's promises as none but
the consecrated can. Our hands are consecrated, so that
whatsoever our hands find to do we do it with our might
as unto the Lord. Our feet are consecrated, so that henceforth we
"walk not as other Gentiles" but "walk
in newness of life," "walk by faith,"
"walk in the spirit," "walk in
the light" and even "as we received Christ, so walk
in him." `Verses 23,24`
The choice portions of the ram, its
"inwards" and "fat," represented our heart
sentiments, our best powers. These were taken in the
hands of the priests and "waved"--passed to
and fro before the Lord--representing the fact that a consecrated
offering is not given to the Lord for a moment, a day or a year,
but that we consecrate to continually keep our affections and
powers uplifted, never ceasing until accepted

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of him as having finished our course. And Moses took the
wave-offering off their hands (the priests did not lay it down),
God's acceptance being shown by fire. So we, the "royal
priests," may not lay down or cease to offer all our powers
in God's service while we have them, nor until all are consumed
in his service, until God shall say, It is enough--come up
higher. When the love ("fat") of our inmost being is
laid upon the altar, it helps to increase the fire of God's
acceptance. The more love there is connected with our
consecration to God, the more quickly will it consume our
offering.
Upon this "wave-offering," while in their
hands, were laid three cakes from a basketful. This offering was
laid by Moses upon the hands of both the High Priest and the
under-priests.
The first, an unleavened cake, represented the
actual purity of Jesus as a man, and the imputed purity of the
Church as men, as attested by the Law (Moses)--justification--
for "the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us"
so long as we are accepted members of his Body. (`Rom. 8:4`) The
second unleavened cake, mingled with oil, represented
the indwelling spirit of God--sanctification. The third,
a wafer, represented our hope and faith in the exceeding precious
promises of glory, honor and immortality.
Without these elements it is impossible for our
consecration to be complete, and hence acceptable; viz., Justification
(purity), Sanctification by the Spirit, through the
belief of the truth, and faith in the promised Glorification.
The anointing oil mingled with the blood of
consecration was sprinkled over them (`verse 30`), teaching that
our consecration is accepted only because we are justified by the
precious blood of our Redeemer; thus we are told that we are
"accepted in the Beloved"--only. `Ephesians 1:6`

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The boiling of the flesh of consecration (`verse
31`) was no part of the sacrifice: it was merely the preparing of
the portion which was to be eaten. It was all to be disposed of
(`verse 32`), showing that we are to be completely and entirely
consecrated, and none of our time and power should be wasted.
The seven days of consecration (`verses
33,35`) showed again that we are consecrated to God's service,
not for a part of our time only, but for all of it. Seven, in
Scripture, is a complete number, and signifies all or
the whole of whatever it applies to. ("Seven
seals," "seven trumpets," "seven
plagues," etc.) `Verse 36` shows the completion of the work
of consecration.
There never was a time when it was more necessary
than it is now that all who are consecrated as priests should see
to it that we "be dead with him," and our every ability
waved before God, that he may accept and make use of our talents
to his glory. Especially is this a matter of interest to those
who understand the Scriptures to teach that very soon all the
members of the Body will be accepted with the Head,
a sweet savor to God; and that the work of self-sacrifice being
then finished, the glorious work of blessing mankind and
fulfilling the Covenant of God will begin.
The antitypical consecrating of the antitypical
priests is confined to the present [Gospel] age. It has
progressed steadily since our Lord and Forerunner "offered
up himself"-- and will be complete before this age has fully
ended. And if we fail to be among the priests now, during the
time of consecration, we cannot be of them when they begin their
service for the people in the Kingdom, when these same priests
(now despised of men, but a "sweet savor to God") will
have the title of King added, and will, with their Head, Jesus,
rule and bless all nations. (`Rev. 20:6`) Do we earnestly desire
to be among those who will sing to the

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praise of our great High Priest, "Thou hast made us unto our
God Kings and Priests, and we shall reign on the earth"? If
so we will be fully consecrated now, for it is only "If we
suffer with him" that "we shall also reign with
him." `2 Tim. 2:12`

Prayer of the Under-Priests

"Victorious High Priest! No more in
garments stained
Shalt thou for sacrifice draw near;
No more with sin's dread penalty shalt thou be pained.
The great redemption-price is paid, the glory-heights attained,
And soon to bless shalt thou appear!

"All-glorious High Priest! All power in
heaven and earth,
All grace and love dost thou possess!
As rightful King of kings and Lord of lords, stand forth!
While joyful trumps proclaim thy righteous name and worth,
And prostrate hosts thy praise confess.

* * *

"O merciful High Priest! O tender
Advocate,
The penitent's unfailing Friend,
Still touched by feeling for our griefs and low estate!
The future work of grace for all anticipate,
And now, on us, thy blessing send!"